Game apparatus.



H. W. MATTGNI. GAME APPARATUS.

. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19, 1912.

1,044,6?%. Patented B10119, 1912.

.1... Iii? INVENTOR WITNESSES H 6AM t Henry 'W. Mcnfoni Qfimwg 64 ATTORNEYS H. W, MATTONI. GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19, 1912.

3 SHEETS-311E131 2.

WITNESSES Henry W. Mcd'i'oni jz/ BY V nacba Ratentad Nov. 19, 1912.

ees'r AVAILABLE cos MATTONI, 01? NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOB T 0. B. W. ANDEESOILI, N YORK, N. Y.

GAME APEARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 19, M912.

Application filed June 19, 1912. Serial No. 704,528.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY N. Marrow, citizen of the United States of America, residing at New York city, borough of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a s ecification.

My invention re ates to an improvement in apparatus adapted to be used as a game.

I have illustrated my invention as the same may be applied in simulation of a game of base ba 1, but it will be understood that the same may be played under rules regulating any form of ball game to Which it is applicable.

I have illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings, designating the parts by numerals and referring to like parts by like numerals.

Figure I is a perspective view looking down on the device at a time when the game is bein played. Fig. II is a horizontal section ta en immediately below the table 10. Fig. H1 is a vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 11. Fig. IV is a fragmentary vertical section showing certain details. 1 V is a diagrammatical view intended to illustrate the are in which the ball is limited to travel also the arc in which the bat moves. it also shows the relative position of the players to the ball as it moves in its arc. V1 is an elevation of the unit or figure employed as a player. Fig. VII is a plan view of the batter and bat as appears in Fig. V.

The table I call the field. It forms the top of a box 11, in which are incloscd the operative mechanisms. 12 is a slot in the table. In the present embodiment of my invention I make this in the form of a diamond to conform to the standard of such feature in a base ball game. At the center of this diamond I indicate the pitchers late 17 and at the respective corners thereo' the bases as at 13, 14, and 16. The table is also pierced by a plurality of holes 29 to receive and support the figures or actors in the game.

4.0 is a slot in the table through which a manipulating member 41 passes and 42 is a thum support. Secured to thebox 11 is the standard 18 which has the lateral arm 19 and at the end thereof the eyelet 20 from which is suspended the ball or object 22 by the su porting means 21. Suspended thus, the ob]ect has a pcndulous movement in the arc of a circle. This supporting means 21 may be a flexible cord or it may be a spring wire or a stiff rod as the pleasure of the operator may dictate. in either case, the purpose is to limit the movement of the bull within the arc of a circle as at m-m. stilt rod would be an absolute limitation but i prefer and recommend a flexible cord as then the movement of the ball not strictly limited within the are but may be driven in a strai ht line or caused to rebound from the bat in many dilferent directions as illustrated at 66, always, however, within the field of movement rescribed by the length of the cord by whicii it is suspended.

At 24. I show means for engaghw and projecting the ball in the form of a Tmtter with a bat in hand as at 23. This figure with his bat is rigid. He is mounted on the spindle 25, which is journalcd in the table and the base of the box 11, and carries an arm secured thereto, said arm having at one end a toothed segment and at the other end a counterbalancing arm 31.

32 is another spindle in like manner can rying an arm secured thereto, with a toothed segment 33 at one end engaging the segment 30 and an arm 3d at the other end. The arm 34. is subject to the tension of a spring as at 35 as well as under manual. control as through the cord 38, eyelets 39 and bar 37. working in the way 36, and the finger piece 41.

By the manual operation of the finger piece 41 u ainst the tension of the spring 35, I am a 10 to move the figure A so that his bat 23 moves in the arc of a circle as shown in plan view in Fig. VII and in Fig. V at w'-w'. I have shown diagran'unatu cally howthe arc m'w in which the but .23 moves bisects the arc w-av in which the buii in its pcndulous movement is limited to o crate, ience it will be appreciated that when I draw the finger ieco 41 toward the thumb piece 42 and siudenly release the finger iece 41, straightway the batter 24 is viocntly turned, by the power of the spring 35, the counterwei ht 31 aiding in this result, thus causin tie but 23 to describe an arc with consi erable speed and force. It at the instant that the but 23 bisects the are w-m the ball should be at or near the point of intersection, the bat will engage the bull AVAILABLE cos" Eda with sufficient force to cause the ball to be projected over the field withinthe limitations of its movement.

The figures employed as fielders and runners, I have illustrated in Fig. 6 as 26. The

side (S t-45 i. I prefer to cover these arms to simulate human arms and hands. The tension of these sprin arms is opposed one to the other so that ii an object, such as a ball, were forced between the hands, it would be detained and held thereby, so, ifa ball were thrust between the head and one of the arms in like manner it would be held as at 65. In Fig. VI, I have illustrated these diilerent positions in solid and in dotted lines. The arms may also be turned down as at 64'.

The field men 26 may be placed in a plurality of positions as in peg holes 29, each pawn being prov1ded with a peg 28, but to be etiective their arms must be within the iield of movement of the ball. In Fig. V, T have illustrated a plurality of holders in the act of catching the ball. With the first, the ball will probably lodge between the head and one arm, and with the second between the hands, while it will probably miss the hands of the third. Gne of the features 0;? the game is to exercise judgment and discretion in so placing the holders that they will be able to eilcctively operate within the field o1 the movement oft-he ball.

In orderto conform to the conventional game of base ball, it is desirable that the figures 26, fashioned as men, and serving as counters, should be moved about a diamond shaped field from base to base, and as a matter of convenience, it is desirable that this should be accomplished from one point by a rotary movement. The mechanism by which I accomplish this result is as follows: 44; and i4 are sockets mounted on the top and bottom inner walls of the box 11. The post as is carried by these sockets, and loosely mounted on this 0st is the hub45, the latter being provic ed with radial arms 46 which are bifurcated as at 47. 48 is a ear wheel secured to the post 43 and 49 and 50 are like wheels operatively connected with the post 51, the latter passing through the table 10 and provided with the cross bar 52. By turning the post 51, the train of gears described will impart motion to the radial arms 46. 57 is a carrier provided with ways between the parts 58-58 to receive the bifur- Jated arms i7. 57 also has a pin hole 60 to receive the figure supporting pin 28, (inc of: these carriers 57 18 provided for each arm 4:7. lihen a figure is to run bases, his armaare turned down as' at as and he is placed in position on the carrier 5'? as at 61.

62 is a block mounted under the home plate in such relation to the carrier 57 as to give support to the same as the figure is being placed in position thereon.

The operation of my device is as follows: The person representing the nine in the field laces the fielders n positions which in his Judgment will be most likely to catch the ball, of course, endeavoring to locate them within the arc of the circle made by the ball or within the field of movement of the ball. The person representing the nine at the bat places a man on the carrier 57 and moves him slightly out of the path of the ball coming'to the bat and leaves him in that position ready to be moved to first base, should occasion require. The game is now on, one party manually controlling the member 41 which is drawn back, thus moving the bat in position to strike, the other party swings the ball in the arc of its circle so as to send it as near as may be over the pitchers plate and thence over the home plate. If it goes over this plate and is not struck, it counts as a strike, or, if it goes outside of the field of the batter it counts as a ball. The purpose of the party controlling the batter is to cause the bat to engage the ball at the instant when in its movement it enters the field of the movement of the bat. When thus engaged the ball may be projected in any direction within the limitation prescribed and if it falls between the arms of a manin the field and is arrested and retained, it counts as a catch; if it falls away from his grasp, it is a muff. As soon as a man is entitled to run for a base, the spindle 51 is turned enough to advance to that base and another man is placed in position at the home base and as the runs are con'ipleted, the men may be taken oil or the same men may continue to run.

These and a great variety of other rules may govern the practice of the game and the structure may be modified to meet other conditions without departing from the spirit. of my invention.

lVhat I claim is:

1. A game comprising a table with means centrally located above the table to support. an object pendulously suspended therefrom, an object so suspended, with means mounted in the path of the pendulous movement of the object and controlled manually to engage the object at the instant when in its movement it enters the field of said engaging means.

2. A game comprising a table with means centrally located above the table to support an object pendulously suspended therefrom. an object so suspended with means mounted in the path of the pendulous movement of the Oitltiti. and controlled manually heugage the object at the instant when in ii. movement it enters the field of said engag- SEST AVAILABLE COP wagers ing means, means mounted within the field of the pendulous movement of the object to engage arrest anddetainthe object.

3. A game comprising a table with means centrally located above the table to support an object pendulously suspended therefrom, an object so suspended, with means mounted in the path of the pendulous movement of the object and controlled manually to engage the object at the instant when in its movement it enters the field of said engaging means, with means operated manually by a rotary movement to move counters on said table in an angular path.

at. A game comprising a table with means centrally located above the table to support an object pendulously suspended therefrom, an object so suspended, with means mounted on the table and controlled manually to engage the object, said means operating in an arc which bisects a predetermined arc of the pendulous movement of the object.

5. A game comprising a table with means centrally located above the table to support an object pendulously suspended therefrom, an object so suspended, with means mounted on the table and controlled manually to engage the object, said means operating in an are which bisects a predetermined arc of the pendulous movement of the object, with means operated manually by a rotary movement to move counters on said table in a path, the courses of which are at right angles to each other.

(3. A game comprising a table with means centrally located above the table to support an object pendulously suspended therefrom, an ob ect so suspended, with means mounted in the path of the pendulous movement of the ob ect and controlled manually to engage the object at the instant when in its movement it enters the field of said engaging means, a unit. member mounted in operative position within the field of the movement of: the object. and provided with means to arrest and detain the object when the same is projected into operative relation with said arresting and detaining means.

7. A game comprising a table with means centrally located above the table to support an object pendulously suspended therefrom, an ob ect so suspended, with means mounted in the path of the pendulous movement of the object and controlled manually to engage the object at the instant when in its movement it enters the field of said engaging means, a unit member with means to sustain the same in operative position in the field of the movement of the object, sair member being provided with oppositel disposed spring arms, their tension directer toward each other.

8. A game comprising a table with mean centrally located above the table to suppor an object pendulously suspended therefrom an object so suspended, with means mount ed in the path of the pendulous movemen of the object and controlled manually t engage the object at the instant when in it movement it enters the field of said engag ing means, a unit member with means t sustain the same in operative position i the field of the. movement of the object,sai member being provided with spring arm adapted to cooperate to receive and hot in object thrust between them.

9. A game comprising a table with meat centrally located above the table to suppoi an object pendulously suspended therefron an object so suspended, with means moun ed in the path of the pendulous movcmei of the object and controlled manually t engage the object at the instant when in i movement it enters the field of said enga; ing means, a unit member with means sustain the same in operative position i the field of the movement of the object, sa; member being provided with spring are adapted to cooperate with another part i the unit member to receive and hold 1 object thrust between them.

10. A game comprising a table wi means centrally located above the table support an object pendulously suspend therefrom, an object so suspended, wi means lnounted in the path of the pend lous movement of the object and controll manually to engage the object at the insta when in its movement it enters the field said engaging means, with means Opt atod manually by a rotary movement move counters on said table in an an; lar path, the table provided with a slot rectangular form, counters mounted move in said slot, bifurcated arms radia mounted with means to rotate the sa manually, one of said counters being a mounte to reciprocate within the bit cation of each of said arms.

Signed by me at New York city, com and State of New York, this 11th day June, 1912.

HENRY W. MA'F'lONl Witnesses:

HENRY Bns'r, EMMA W. Rnnnii.

fiopies at this patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressing the Commissioner oi Pate Washington, D. 0. 

